1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gripping devices, and more particularly, to an adjustable gripping device that is easier to assemble, manufacture and use.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of devices are used by people to extend their reach and to pick up and/or grip items that are not within their reach, or which are not readily available to them for any number of reasons. Many of the available devices, however, are not adjustable or extendable, nor can they be made so. Moreover, the available devices that claim to be adjustable or extendable, tend to be complex, expensive, hard to use and/or not readily available for use by all persons, or actually work as claimed. Therefore, there is a long felt need in the art for an easily used gripping device which is readily available, easy to use and which is relatively inexpensive.
Adjustable canes for picking up dropped items are known, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,636,650 and 7,243,668, in the name of Steven H. Kroeze, the inventor named herein. Although the canes described in these patents are very handy and useful, they can not be used by all persons to grip and/or pick-up all types of items held in inconvenient places and are not versatile enough to be used in all gripping and earning situations. There, therefore, exists a need in the gripping and carrying art for a relatively inexpensive to manufacture, gripping device usable by a variety of different people, and which is adjustable so that its outer end may be more easily manipulated and operated to allow such persons to grip and/or manipulate a large variety of objects in different positions, that might normally be out of reach or inaccessible.